Heart of Stone
by LadyChakotay
Summary: A J/C version of the Deep Space 9 episode, Heart of Stone. Chakotay is faced with his worst fear when he and Janeway follow a Human lifesign to an alien moon.
1. Part One

Summary: J/C Chakotay and Janeway become sidetracked from their diplomatic mission when they journey into the bowels of an unstable moon in pursuit of an escape pod emitting a Starfleet signature. THIS STORY IS SET SOMEWHERE IN SEASON THREE.

Rating: PG-13

Disclaimer: These wonderful characters belong to the almighty Gods of Paramount, as do all things in the _Star Trek_ universe. I'm more like Q, sticking my naughty little nose in and shaping their cosmos to fit my whims. If it's somewhat changed when I'm finished with it … well, you can't really blame me, can you? I just try to write what they didn't have to heart to write. And even though I don't get paid for it, I find it oddly fulfilling.

Authors Note: This story was inspired by the _Deep Space 9 _episode, _Heart of Stone_, in which Kira Nerys and Odo are faced with such a situation. It is a deeply touching episode, and as I watched it, I just kept thinking how wonderful Robert Beltran and Kate Mulgrew would've been if it had been one of _Voyager's _J/C episodes. We saw how well they can play off each other in _Coda_. I shamelessly admit that the plot belongs to _DS9, _though I didn't follow it exactly_._ If only I were half as creative …

Special thanks to my dear friend, Survak, for his graciousness, and his ever patient proof reading. You're one nice Romulan, even if you do love Dr. Pulaski.

_**Heart of Stone**_

By LadyChakotay

"Just what are you suggesting, Commander?" Janeway tried to glare at her co-pilot, but the corners of her lips turned up slightly in a suppressed grin.

Seated beside her in the shuttle, Chakotay's dark eyes twinkled with amusement. "I'm not suggesting anything, Captain," he grinned. "I'm saying it outright. You're a sore loser."

Janeway feigned indignation. "I most certainly am not. I'm a very gracious loser." She shot him a sideways glance. "Besides, it's a worthless discussion since I rarely lose."

He laughed softly and shook his head. "You definitely lost last night at the pool tournament. And don't tell me it was because we haven't had a tournament in a while and you were out of practice. Paris may have bought that excuse but it's my butt you routinely whip on our weekly late night games at Sandrine's. I know better."

She laughed and turned her best innocent face on him. "Last night wasn't my fault, Chakotay. I was … distracted."

He pretended to be shocked. "What? You can't be serious! The infamous Captain Kathryn Janeway, the woman who could stare down a Kazon Maj? Distracted? I don't believe it."

"Believe it," she said firmly, glancing up at him from her console. "Because it's the truth. I was distracted."

"By whom?"

She regarded him with a raised eyebrow. "It wasn't a whom; it was more of a what."

Chakotay chuckled softly. "Okay, then by what?"

An impish grin crept across her face. "That horrid wailing coming from the stage."

"You mean Ayala and me? That wasn't wailing," Chakotay argued, folding his arms indignantly. "It was singing!"

Janeway laughed aloud. "Trust me, Chakotay. That wasn't singing. In fact, I was being generous when I called it wailing."

He flashed her a dimpled grin. "That bad, huh?"

She nodded, amused. "That bad."

"Well," he shrugged, "I was never much of a singer. I only did it to shut them up. I didn't want to at first, but now that I find out it caused you to lose the last game of the tournament to Tom Paris, it was worth it."

She punched him playfully in the arm. "Watch it, Mister. You could end up licking my boots for the rest of the trip."

He eyed her suggestively. "What makes you think I'd be able to stop at your boots?"

She looked pointedly at him but her blue eyes showed her amusement. She opened her mouth to scold him, but was interrupted by an alarm on her console.

"Saved by the bell," Chakotay muttered.

All business once more, Janeway leaned over her console. "I don't believe it," she half whispered.

"What is it?"

"It's the proximity alarm. A small spacecraft just flew right over us." She worked her controls with purpose, ignoring a lock of her reddish hair that slipped into her face. "Why didn't the sensors pick it up sooner?"

Chakotay's brow furrowed as he, too, hunched over the console. "I don't know, but it's no bigger than an escape pod. I'm detecting one life sign." His dark eyes were serious as he looked at her. "It's a human, Captain. And he's injured."

A split second later the computer began relaying a jumbled audio message. The voice was definitely male but the words were difficult to make out through the static. Regardless of the interference, it was obvious that whoever this human was, he was in trouble.

"It's a distress call," Chakotay said.

"Yes," she said, looking up at him again. "And it has a Starfleet signature."

/\ /\ /\ /\

The atmospheric disturbances tossed the small shuttlecraft around like a giant cat batting at a ball of string. Not for the first time, Chakotay wondered if they'd bitten off more than they could chew when they followed the escape pod to this turbulent moon. It'd spiraled toward the surface, obviously out of control. There was no reason to believe the shuttle wouldn't do the same. And without _Voyager _orbiting nearby they had no one to call for assistance if things turned ugly. They were truly on their own.

"Where's the pod?" she snapped.

Chakotay pounded away at his controls. "I'm trying to track it, Captain." His dark eyes moved rapidly over the incoming data. "Looks like it went down over the northern continent."

Janeway's brow furrowed. "Did the pilot survive?"

"Wish I could say," he answered. "There's just too much interference. The sensors can't cut through it."

"Well, then," Janeway said, programming a new course into the shuttle's computer, "I guess there's only one way to find out."

Chakotay looked at her sharply. "We're going to land on this moon?"

"Unless you know of another way to get to the surface," she said with annoyance.

"Don't you think we should at least send a subspace message to _Voyager_? If something goes wrong they won't even know where to start looking for us. We're way off course."

She didn't even look up at him. "No time." The shuttle began to descend. "We'd have to go back into a high orbit to do that. By then he could be dead."

"He could be dead already," he argued. In his opinion, this was a reckless decision, one he didn't agree with. Even with his deep respect for life, every life, he knew they were in no condition to mount a rescue mission alone. "This moon is unstable. If the atmosphere is this violent, there's no telling what the surface is like. It's probably seismically active, and that could be the least of it."

"Then you better hang on, Chakotay," she said stubbornly, not shaken a bit by his objections. "Because I'm landing this shuttle."

Knowing Kathryn Janeway as he did, Chakotay knew that arguing would only serve to firm her resolve even more. So he did the only thing he could. He held on tight and prayed silently to the Sky Spirits that she wasn't about to end them both.

To her credit Janeway was a skilled pilot. Not as accomplished as Paris, of course, but still talented. Somehow she managed to land the shuttle in one piece, though not without slamming both of them into the consoles several times first and eventually knocking Chakotay to the floor.

As the shuttle's engines began to power down Chakotay pulled himself off the deck where he'd been resting in an undignified heap. The sharp pain in his right shoulder told him it was probably dislocated - again. Or at the least, badly bruised and strained. He glanced at Kathryn as he rummaged through a storage compartment for a med kit. She had a large, angry red welt across her cheek that was already starting to bruise, but other than that she appeared unharmed.

"You okay?" he grunted.

"I'm fine." She was already scanning the area, oblivious to his private agony. "You were right about the seismic activity. There's a live volcano about 30 kilometers over that ridge. There's a breathable atmosphere out there, not as oxygenated as we're used to but we'll just have to live with it."

"Somehow that's just what I thought you'd say," he panted.

Eager to find this human and learn exactly how he ended up in the Delta Quadrant in a Starfleet escape pod, Janeway holstered her phaser and tricorder and, pushing past Chakotay without so much as a glance, she palmed the hatch release on the wall. The heavy door opened slowly. Hot, smoke-tinged air gusted into the shuttle. Unaccustomed to such impurities, Janeway began to cough as the haze hit her lungs.

"So much for getting some fresh air, hmm?" When there was no response to her little joke, Janeway turned around to find Chakotay standing in the same spot she'd left him in, the scanning wand of a medical tricorder in his shaking hand.

Her brow furrowed with the realization that he was obviously injured. "Chakotay, you're hurt…"

"Just my shoulder," he grunted. "I'm fine." A quick scan told him his shoulder was still in its place within the socket but some of the ligaments were torn. He fumbled with his good arm to load an anti-inflammatory and pain reliever into a hypospray.

Janeway felt her cheeks redden as guilt washed over her. She'd been so intent on finding this human that she hadn't even noticed her closest friend was wounded. And to top it off, it was an injury she'd unintentionally caused.

"Let me help you," she said, taking the hypospray from his hand and offering him a guilt-ridden but warm smile. With a gentle hand she guided him to the co-pilot's seat and then pressed the hypo to his neck. His rigid posture seemed to relax almost the same instant she heard the familiar hiss.

He rubbed the spot on his neck with his large hand and then flashed her a grateful smile. "Thank you," he said softly. "That's much better already."

"Why didn't you tell me you were hurt and needed help?"

His smile disappeared and he averted his eyes. "You didn't ask, Kathryn."

Janeway fought the urge to retort. He was right, after all. She'd been so intent on following the human that she blew right past him like he wasn't even there. She knelt down before him and placed a gentle hand on his chest. "I'm sorry, Chakotay. I know I get tunnel vision sometimes, but that's no excuse." She smiled flirtatiously. "Forgive me?"

For a fraction of a second he entertained the notion of staying angry with her for her stubbornness. But he'd come to realize that that was just part of who she was. Trying to change it would be like trying to change the direction of a raging hurricane. And, as always, he couldn't resist her.

A grin tugged playfully at his lips. "Don't I always?" He covered her small hand with his and had to suppress the urge to bring it to his lips, to kiss her slender wrist and feel the pulse beneath her skin. Instead, he gave it an affectionate squeeze and then nodded toward the open hatch. "We'd better get moving. No telling when that volcano you found will erupt and I'd just as soon not be here when it happens."

"That makes two of us," she said, rising to her feet.

Chakotay grabbed the other med kit, feeling certain that the human was - at the very least - injured. They stepped out of the shuttle together and into the smoke-ridden air.

The moon was barren, to put it mildly. There was nothing but rust colored rock for as far as the eye could see. Chakotay noted instantly that there was no greenery, no growing things anywhere. In fact, as far as he could tell, there were no signs of life whatsoever. He speculated that they must've set down in a desert zone and there must be plant life somewhere on the surface of this moon. Otherwise, where had the oxygen come from?

He wished the escape pod had at least crashed into a lush, tropical area where the view was pleasing and the air smelled of exotic flora rather than in this dust bowl where it smelled like the smoke from a million campfires. He resisted the burning urge to cough, knowing that if he started hacking, he would only succeed in drawing the filth deeper into his lungs. One glance at his captain told him she was doing the same thing.

Tricorder in hand, Janeway squinted, the haze stinging her eyes. "The pod is this way," she said, cocking her head to the north.

Chakotay nodded, getting the same readings on his tricorder. "I'm not detecting any life signs. We may be too late."

Janeway continued to scan the area as they moved toward the downed escape pod. They were nearly there when she saw a tiny blip in the far corner of the data screen. A life sign! But it wasn't coming from the same direction as the pod. "Wait," she said, pausing to increase the sensitivity on her tricorder.

Chakotay peered curiously over her shoulder. "What is it?"

"I'm detecting a life sign. It's human - he's alive."

Relief washed over Chakotay. "I'm very glad to hear it."

"You and me both. But he's not in the escape pod." She gestured to the east. "There's a large cave system beneath us. Looks like the entrance is this way. He probably went in there seeking shelter."

"Or a hiding place," Chakotay added. "He seemed to be running from something."

"Maybe," she said, already leading the way to the caves. "But there's only one way to find out. Come on."

/\ /\ /\ /\

The caves, as it turned out, had a rather wicked sense of humor. It took Janeway and Chakotay nearly 15 minutes of running around quite literally in circles before they realized what was happening.

"We're picking up the same life sign in a dozen different places. That's just not possible," said Janeway. If the situation hadn't been so serious, she'd have laughed. "In fact, according to my tricorder, you and I are also in several different places at once. And as many times as I've wished I had that ability, I'm afraid I don't."

"There's something in the cave walls reflecting our scans," said Chakotay. "They're bouncing all over the place and then being reflected back at us somehow."

Janeway stopped walking and turned to face him. "Like mirrors in a fun house," she said, a touch of scientific appreciation in her voice. "You see so many reflections of the same image it's almost impossible to tell which one is real."

"Exactly," Chakotay nodded. "Our tricorders are useless down here."

Now Janeway did chuckle despite the urgency of the moment. "I'm glad we're the only ones who know that it took us 15 minutes of going around in circles to figure that out, Commander." She flashed him a smile as she returned her tricorder to its holster. "I guess we'll just have to do this the old fashioned way."

He smiled in return. "You mean use our own eyes? I think I can handle that."

Not for the first time, the ground shook beneath them. Janeway's eyes rose to the ceiling and she froze for a moment, half expecting it to come crashing down on them. "Those tremors seem to be getting closer together. We'd better hurry." She drew her phaser and verified that it was set on stun, just in case. "I think we should split up."

Chakotay's eyes widened. "I don't think that's a good idea, Captain. We have no idea who that man is or what his intentions might be. Not to mention what else might be lurking in these caves."

"I appreciate your caution, Chakotay, but we're running out of time." As if to confirm her statement, the ground shook again, causing a few small rocks to rain down on them from the ceiling. "The quicker we're out of here, the better. We can do this faster if we split up."

He hated to admit it, but she was right. Reluctantly, he nodded his agreement. "Just be careful, Kathryn. Please."

She flashed him a wry smile over her shoulder. "If I didn't know better, Commander, I'd say you think I'm a bit reckless."

"Never," he grinned. "Just trying to be a good officer. Protecting the captain is my job, remember?"

She chuckled as she walked away. "As if you'd ever allow me to forget."

/\ /\ /\ /\

As Chakotay wandered through the bowels of the small moon he took advantage of the time alone to contemplate their situation. Something wasn't right here; he could feel it in his bones. It all just seemed a little too ordered for comfort. A Starfleet escape pod carrying a single human just happening to whiz by right at the moment he and Janeway were in the area? The chaotic atmosphere causing sensor blindness, but calming just enough to let them land the shuttle in one piece? And then there were these caves, how handy it was that the pod happened to crash almost right on top of them and the human led them deep inside where their equipment was all but useless. It was all a bit too convenient, he thought. Like a bad holonovel.

Or a trap.

Suddenly, like a wild rabbit realizing it was about to be cornered by a wolf, Chakotay fought back a rush of panic and he had the overwhelming urge to get the hell out of there. Figuring the combadges were probably as useless as the tricorders he turned around and began backtracking, intending to find Kathryn and get her to safety … with or without her consent.

He made it less than 10 meters and then stopped cold in his tracks when Kathryn's near-panicked voice filtered through his communicator. It was nearly drown out by static and distortion, but he was able to make out a few words and they struck terror in his heart.

"_Ch...otay … need yo … help. I'm trapped … "_

He slapped his combadge with his right hand, wincing at the pain it caused in his shoulder, and broke into a dead run. He was near panic knowing that without the aid of his tricorder it would take a lot longer to track her position. "I'm coming, Kathryn. Keep calling out and making noise. I'll have to follow the sound of your voice." _I just hope I get to you before someone … or something … else does, _he thought.

Even in his frantic state, his mind catalogued the fact that her communicator had worked long enough to let him know she was in trouble, even with such extreme interference. Another oddly convenient factor in this game. He tried to tell himself that it was the Great Spirits looking out for them, or maybe his animal guide protecting them from their own bad decisions. But deep inside himself, way down in the darkest parts of his mind, he knew it wasn't so. He believed that whatever presence was hovering over them, manipulating their circumstances, it wasn't a benevolent one.

/\ /\ /\ /\

After what seemed like hours but was probably only minutes of following Janeway's cries for help, Chakotay finally stumbled into a large opening where several tunnels intersected. Kathryn stood in the middle of the cavity, a painfully embarrassed expression on her face.

"What is it?" he panted. "What's wrong?"

She gestured to her left foot which Chakotay now noticed was covered to the ankle in a shiny rock of some kind. It appeared to be composed mostly of a dark colored crystal. "It's stupid, really," Janeway said. "I stepped into a crevice or something and got my foot stuck."

Chakotay suppressed the urge to laugh but was unable to stifle a grin. "That took talent, Kathryn. I'm impressed."

She shot him a glare but her eyes danced with amusement. "Very funny. Now get me out of here before the ceiling caves in on my head and you have to get _Voyager _home all by yourself."

He bent down and began inspecting the situation. "Is that supposed to be a threat?" There was obvious humor in his voice. "If that happens, I get to be captain." He tugged at her foot but could not free it from the stone. It wouldn't budge an inch. Sensing Janeway's growing trepidation, he kept talking. "Of course, that would leave me with Tuvok as my command partner. He's a polite enough guy, I suppose. But the idea of dancing with him at the Christmas parties just doesn't appeal to me."

"Are you saying you'd miss me, Chakotay?"

"No," he teased. "I'm saying he doesn't look as good in the uniform as you do."

She laughed aloud. "My foot must really be stuck tightly if you're resorting to blatant flirtation." Her face grew serious. "I couldn't pull it free either. I tried for several minutes before I called you."

Chakotay stood up and scratched his head. "It's stubborn, but then so are you. We'll get you loose." The ground shook violently beneath them and Chakotay grabbed Janeway's arm to steady her. If she fell she'd easily snap her ankle. "But we'd better do it soon. Maybe we can slip your foot out of the boot."

She shook her head, wisps of her chestnut hair falling in her face. "I already tried that. It's wedged in too tight." Impatient, Janeway jerked the phaser from her belt. "Stand back," she said, taking aim on the rock at her feet.

Chakotay's brown eyes grew wide. "Are you sure that's a good idea?"

"No," she said. "But neither is standing here helplessly waiting for the ceiling to crash down on top of us. Besides, if I cut my foot off it'll just give the Doctor the opportunity to prove what a skilled hologram he is."

"You really think you'd survive long enough for him to get the chance?"

She gazed at him firmly. "I don't intend to find out. I'm a better aim than that, Chakotay."

He couldn't help but wince as she pressed the button and a bright light shot from the phaser. She wasn't kidding; she was a good aim and nailed the rock dead in the center. But to Chakotay's horror, instead of shattering like a crystal should it seemed to feed off the power and grew to over twice its original size. Like a giant mouth, it swallowed Kathryn's leg all the way to her knee. Unfortunately, it spread horizontally as well as vertically and now engulfed her right foot as well.

Shocked, she dropped the phaser to the ground. "Oh, my God," she gasped.

Chakotay was immediately at her side, scanning the - crystal? - with his tricorder. Of course, just as before, the readings were jumbled and difficult to decipher. "This isn't like any kind of stone I've ever seen. It doesn't appear to be alive, whatever it is. But it seemed to absorb the energy from the phaser blast."

For the first time since this began, Chakotay noticed that Janeway actually looked afraid. "Now what?" she asked evenly.

Chakotay tapped his combadge. "Chakotay to the _Hawking_, two to beam out." As he feared, nothing happened. He regarded Kathryn apologetically. "I can't raise the shuttle from inside. I'm going to have to go back to the landing site and beam you out from there."

"Understood."

Chakotay retrieved Janeway's dropped phaser and pressed it into her hand. "You'd better keep a hold of this. We have no idea what kind of creatures may think of these caves as home. They may not be happy if they discover they have visitors."

"Their hospitality certainly leaves something to be desired," she muttered, trying to ease the tension.

He laid a hand on her shoulder. "I'll hurry, Captain. I promise."

She offered him a brave smile. "I'll be waiting right here."

He chuckled and touched her cheek softly before leaving. "I'll see you soon."

/\ /\ /\ /\

Breathing hard and trying to ignore the burning pain in his shoulder, Chakotay tried again. "Computer, lock on to Captain Janeway's coordinates and transport her to the shuttle."

As with all his previous attempts, the computer refused to cooperate. "_Unable to comply."_

"Why?" he barked.

"_Unable to establish transporter lock due to unidentifiable interference."_

Unidentifiable interference? What the hell did that mean? It was pretty rare, even in the Delta Quadrant, that a Starfleet computer couldn't identify and classify planetary interference. If he could classify it he could probably find a way to compensate for it. How strangely convenient - again.

Desperate, he asked anyway. "Is there any way to compensate for the interference?"

"_Negative."_

"What about signal boosters? If I set up signal boosters at the captain's location would that level of enhancement make a transporter lock possible?"

"_Negative. There is no known method of compensating for this type of interference."_

Chakotay slammed his fist down on the console. "This doesn't make any sense!" he shouted. "None of this makes sense."

He rummaged through the storage compartments, searching for any and all tools that could possibly help him free Kathryn. He'd smash that damned crystal to pieces himself if he had to. As he worked, he continued to issue orders.

"Computer, send a message to _Voyager_. Notify Commander Tuvok of our current location and inform him that we require immediate assistance."

The computer whirred with activity for only a few seconds before bursting yet another of Chakotay's bubbles.

"_Unable to establish communication … "_

" … due to unidentifiable atmospheric interference." Chakotay interrupted. "I know." He paused his rummaging for a moment to think. "Then launch a distress beacon. Include our landing coordinates in the message."

"_Working."_

A few seconds later, Chakotay felt the shuttle shake at the same time he heard the boom.

"_Distress beacon launched."_

"Finally. Computer, under ideal circumstances, what's the soonest we could expect assistance from _Voyager_?"

"_It will take approximately 26 hours for the signal to reach _Voyager's _last know location. Assuming the ship is still at those coordinates, it will take approximately 52 hours for assistance to arrive."_

Chakotay sighed heavily. He should've expected that much. It would've been too strongly in his favor if they'd landed on a moon closer to _Voyager's_ last location. Fatigue and frustration showing on his face, he recorded a continuous message to play inside the shuttle describing their location in the caves just in case, by some sheer miracle, Tuvok managed to arrive sooner than predicted. Not that he expected that, of course.

/\ /\ /\ /\

Tired and aching, Chakotay had to push himself to keep walking. He was almost there. Kathryn was just around the corner. In a moment he'd have to tell her that the transporter idea was hopeless. He wondered how she'd …

Before he could finish that thought two distinct blasts of weapons fire resonated through the caves. Energized by the sudden rush of adrenaline, he broke into a run. "Kathryn!"

He tore around the corner and stopped dead in his tracks as if he'd hit a brick wall. Janeway was holding the phaser at shoulder level, her eyes focused on the narrow opening of the tunnel opposite of the one Chakotay had just come through. But that wasn't what prompted Chakotay's screeching halt.

He froze in place, his eyes wide with alarm. The crystal now engulfed half of Kathryn's body. It covered her all the way to her waist. "Oh, God!" he cried.

Janeway turned her head to look at him, her pretty face looking worn and defeated. "It seems our rescue mission was unnecessary," she said, gesturing to the large, smoking hole in the wall behind her.

"Our human friend shot at you?" he asked incredulously.

"Apparently, the friendship is a bit one sided. He came through that tunnel over there. As soon as he saw me he drew his weapon. I tried to tell him my motives for being here were peaceful ones but he didn't want to listen." She grimaced slightly, her movements causing her pain. "He fired at me and missed. I fired back. I think I missed, too. He fled back into the tunnel and that's when you came in."

Chakotay examined the evidence on the cave wall. "He didn't miss by much."

She arched an eyebrow. "Since you've come back, I take it that transporting me out of this mess isn't an option."

He nodded remorsefully. "No, it's not." His eyes traveled over the surface of the stone, trying to deduce where its weakest points would be. "I brought some tools. We'll have to see if we can chip it away."

Janeway shook her head. "Don't. Right after you left I managed to bend until I could get hold of a rock on the ground. I tried using it to pound through the thinner parts of the crystal." She gestured with her arms as if she were showing off a new party gown. "This was my reward."

"It grew when you tried to chip it away?"

"It was growing before that," she said gravely. "It just sped up when I pounded it with the rock." She met his eyes, her expression one of grim resignation. "I've been doing some calculating during my free time, Chakotay. At the rate this thing is growing I'll be completely covered in about 12 hours."

He closed the distance between them and took her hand. "A lot can happen in 12 hours, Kathryn. I'll figure something out, I promise."

/\ /\ /\ /\

Six hours later, after Chakotay had tried everything he could think of and the crystal had moved several more inches up Kathryn's torso, he found himself struggling to subdue the panic that continually tried to rise within him. He worked hard to keep the hideous visions of what her death would be like at bay but they slipped in nonetheless. Already her breathing was labored as the unforgiving stone restricted the movement along her ribcage. He forced himself to take a deep, calming breath. He'd be no good to her if he fell apart and he knew he was her only hope.

Fumbling through the med kit, he loaded a hypospray with the triox compound the EMH used when one of his patients had lung damage, or when the air was particularly thin. It wasn't a cure, not by a long shot, but it might ease her work of breathing for a while. And at least he'd be doing something to help her.

Janeway's battle to hold her arms out of reach of the stone had long ago become too great and she'd been forced to relax her shoulders and rest her elbows against her sides. Consequently, her bent elbows were now firmly encased in the crystal, and her wrists rested awkwardly against her shoulders.

Chakotay held her hand, rubbing the back of it softly with his thumb. _That's when I'll lose it, _he thought. _When her hands are covered and I can't hold on to her anymore. _He moved their joined hands slightly and pressed the hypospray to her neck. "This is a triox compound, Captain. It should help you breathe easier."

"Thank you," she wheezed. "Chakotay, I've been thinking."

"I'll alert security," he teased, hoping to take her mind off the pain, even if only for a moment.

Not expecting the joke, Janeway found it all the more amusing. "Stop it," she groaned between chuckles. "If I laugh too hard in here I'll fracture a rib."

"Sorry," he grinned. "You don't usually find my jokes that funny."

"You mean I'm not usually such a captive audience?" she smirked.

He laughed aloud. "Now that you mention it … "

"I've always taken your humor for granted," she said, suddenly turning serious. "I've taken a great many things for granted. And now I'm going to die in this damn cave, aren't I, Chakotay?"

"No, you're not," he answered immediately. "And it's not like you to give up. We'll find a way, Kathryn. We've been in worse situations than this before."

"Really," she drawled. "Name one."

"Okay." He tugged on his ear and thought for a moment. "How about the time we crashed the Sacagawea and you were injured. That alien invaded your cerebral cortex and manipulated your thoughts. You kept reliving your own death." His eyes clouded, and he blinked hard. "I nearly lost you that day. I mean … we … nearly lost you."

"All right," she said casually, "name another one."

Chakotay's head snapped up and his eyes narrowed as he stared at her. That was such a traumatic event in both their lives and to this day Kathryn had great difficulty discussing it. The mere mention of it always brought a flood of unshed tears to her eyes. Her cool, almost disinterested tone both surprised and disturbed him.

"What?" Janeway asked in response to his sharp look. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"It's nothing," he replied, writing her odd behavior off to hypoxia and the stress of the situation. "That just wasn't the response I was expecting from you, that's all."

"Well, what response were you expecting?"

Distracted by her unusual behavior, Chakotay's mind had taken a moment to rest. As with most difficult puzzles he tried to solve, a solution came to him as soon as he focused on something else. Instead of answering her question he said, "Captain, did you read all of the Maquis intelligence reports Starfleet forwarded to you before you left Deep Space 9?"

Janeway raised a curious eyebrow. "I believe I read most of them. Why?"

"Even the ones that didn't concern the _Liberty_?"

"I don't recall. Are you on to something, Chakotay?"

"A couple of years before we got stuck out here, a group of Maquis led by a friend of mind called Sveta rescued a group of Bajoran prisoners. They were being held by some bounty hunters on Camaria Prime."

"Go on."

He began pacing as he spoke, his mind working furiously. "The cell they were detained in was made of some sort of crystalline webbing that was unique to the Camarians. They used an ultrasonic pulse generator to shatter the crystal and free the Bajorans."

Janeway nodded slightly, following his train of thought. "But if that type of crystal was unique to the Camarians, what makes you think something similar would work here on a moon in the Delta Quadrant?"

"Because," he enthused, the blood finally pumping, "almost all crystalline formations possess certain properties, certain characteristics." He glanced at her again, his eyes narrowed. "You're the scientist, Kathryn. You should know that."

Ignoring his last comment entirely, she said, "You plan to rig a makeshift ultrasonic pulse generator from parts of the shuttle and bring it here?"

"Yes," he said.

"Okay. But Chakotay, if this doesn't work … "

"It'll work," he interjected. "It has to work." He gave her hand another squeeze as he prepared to leave again. "I'll be back as quickly as I can, okay?"

She laughed softly, her breath ragged in her throat. "What's the matter? Afraid I'm going to run off somewhere?" She fixed her blue eyes on him firmly. "Go, Commander. I'll be fine."

As he ran through the caves Chakotay tried to ignore the dark voice nagging in the back of his mind, telling him that something wasn't right about this whole situation. He kept feeling like he was reading a bad novel, one where the events and circumstances fell too conveniently in place to be even remotely believable.

/\ /\ /\ /\

It took Chakotay longer than he'd anticipated to assemble a makeshift generator and haul it from the shuttle to Janeway's location in the caves. By the time he returned the crystal had swallowed everything but her head, neck, and fingertips. He felt his heart constrict inside his chest but he forced a smile onto his face.

He began setting up the generator a few meters in front of her. "With any luck," he panted, "I'll have you out of there in a few minutes."

Unable to move anything but her head, Janeway lifted her chin slightly and looked at him. Her voice was barely above a whisper as she spoke. "Luck hasn't exactly been on our side today, has it, Chakotay?"

"No, I guess it hasn't." He looked up from the generator and met her eyes. "But you don't believe in luck anyway. You're the pragmatist, remember?"

She attempted a sarcastic chuckle, which came out as more of a wheeze. "That was before I found myself being buried alive in an alien crystal. I'll take luck if it comes our way. Hell, I'd sing to the Blue Fairy if I thought it'd get me out of the sarcophagus."

"Speaking of singing, too bad Ayala isn't with me," he said with a wink. "We could sing to you while you wait."

"That would definitely shatter this crystal," she teased. "Along with my eardrums."

He was silent for a few minutes, concentrating on activating the generator and beginning the ultrasonic pulses. As he worked he again found himself pondering the sheer absurdness of their situation. He wondered if it was his panicked mind's desperate attempt to order his thoughts under his state of duress. Could that be why he had such a burning need to make sense of it all? He didn't believe so.

It was all so opportune, everything stacking up against them in perfect order. So far they hadn't had one thing occur in their favor. It's as if something … or someone … was watching over them, manipulating every moment to prevent him from freeing her. And strangest of it all, he thought, was that none of this seemed to occur to Janeway.

He knew she was afraid, probably certain that she was about to suffer a brutal death that she was helpless to prevent. That was enough to keep anyone from thinking straight. But Chakotay had seen Kathryn in situations that appeared absolutely hopeless before. And he'd seen her severely injured and near death before, too. And in every case her mind was always sharp, her analytical brain dissecting every part of a situation and examining it 

piece by piece. Her apparent oblivion to the tidiness of this moment was just one more thing that didn't feel right to Chakotay.

"Captain," he said, looking at her thoughtfully. "Have you noticed how this whole thing just fell into place, almost like it was pre-planed or something?"

She struggled to look at him. "What are you saying?"

"The escape pod just happening to cross our flight path, the interference blocking communication from the shuttle and transporters, but allowing you to use your combadge, this strange crystal that just happened to be lying right where you stepped? Doesn't it all seem … a little too convenient to you?"

Panting from the exertion of trying to speak, she said, "You wouldn't say that if you were the one in here having the air squeezed from your lungs. Trust me, this is anything but convenient."

"That's not what I mean."

"Then what do you mean?" she whispered weakly. Her tired blue eyes tried to hold his gaze. "What are you suggesting, Chakotay?"

"I'm not suggesting anything. I'm just saying that this doesn't feel right." As he spoke, her eyes lost the battle to stay open and her head slumped forward. For a horrifying moment, Chakotay thought she was dead.

He rushed forward and cradled her head in his hands, lifting it so he could see her face. "Kathryn! Come on, stay with me. Wake up, damn it. Kathryn!"

Her eyes fluttered open a crack and she slowly looked up at him. "I'm so tired." A solitary tear ran down her pale cheek. "Tired."

"I know," he said, his voice cracking with anguish. Gently, he wiped the tear away with his thumb. "But I need you to stay with me, Kathryn. You have to hang on."

Suddenly the ground shook violently beneath them and he was sure he heard a huge cave-in somewhere in one of the distant tunnels. Chakotay leaned over her, covering her head with his own in an effort to protect her from the falling rocks. Debris rained down on him, slamming into his shoulders, neck and head but he ignored it. The stinging pain it caused was nothing compared to how he'd feel if one of them hit Janeway in her weakened state.

Just as the strain on his injured right shoulder was becoming unbearable the quaking stopped. He stepped back and shook the debris from his body. "Captain?"

"I'm okay," she whispered. "Are you hurt?"

He shook his head. "No." He cupped her face in his hands to examine her, assuring himself that nothing had struck her. His eyes clouded with tears as he saw her ashen face and blue-tinged lips. A sign of severe hypoxia - it was starting. She was fading.

He moved quickly now, with determination. If he had any chance of saving her he had to do it now. It was obvious that she didn't have much time left. She could barely breath now and Chakotay wasn't sure he could live out the rest of his days with the memory of watching the woman he loved more than anything suffocate to death while he stood by helplessly. He had to get her out, for both their sakes.

Uncertain how the crystal would respond to his newest plan, Chakotay began slowly. He started the pulses at the lowest strength possible and watched with what he hoped was a calm expression on his face. He knew they were both thinking the same thing. Everything they'd attempted to do to free her thus far had caused the crystal to grow. If it grew this time it would certainly kill her.

He released the first round of ultrasonic pulses and literally nothing happened. The crystal didn't shatter but it didn't grow either. It was both frustrating and a relief all at the same time. Slowly he inched the intensity 

forward, increasing the strength and frequency of the pulses. His brow furrowed with concentration and small beads of sweat broke out across his forehead.

"Talk to me," Janeway wheezed.

He glanced up at her, his hands still manipulating the controls. "All right. What shall we talk about?"

"Anything," she said. "Tell me … tell me about your mother."

His eyes registered surprise. That was the last thing he expected her to say. "My mother?"

She nodded slightly, a small dip of the chin. Her ragged breathing could be heard throughout the cave. "You talk … about your father … but never … your mother."

He continued to increase the strength of the ultrasonic pulses as he spoke. "You'd have liked my mother, Kathryn. She was a very gentle woman."

"Gentle," she smiled softly, "like you."

He grinned in return, touched that she saw him that way. "I appreciate the comparison but she was much gentler than I am. She had dark eyes, a lot like mine in fact, and long, flowing hair - black as the raven. When I was a little boy I used to rub locks of it against my cheeks. I loved the way it felt against my skin, soft and light as a feather." He was smiling to himself as he spoke, the memories washing over him. "She always smelled of jasmine. And she loved to tell me stories.

"She was very kind to me, always willing to listen when I needed to talk. The tribe brought out my contrary side but not my mother. She was a calming influence on me. She had a quiet way about her, quiet - but very, very strong." His dark eyes grew sad. "I missed her terribly once she was gone."

He looked up at Janeway, who was listening intently, and gave her a little smile. "In fact, she's the one who named me Chakotay."

Weak and fatigued, Janeway smiled in return. "It's a … very … striking name. What … does it mean?"

Another odd question coming from her, he thought. "Actually, it means _peaceful valley_. My tribe had great respect for the land. To avoid exhausting its resources, they moved around a lot. One year they had to travel far - to the other side of the great plane. I was born during that journey. My father found a meadow filled with wildflowers in the valley. He brought her there to give birth because she took great comfort in the beauty of the land."

His handsome face blushed slightly as he realized he was carrying on so freely. "That's why she named me Chakotay."

"That's … a beautiful … story."

Chakotay knew that the sound of his voice was giving her at least a little comfort, distracting her from her labored breathing and from the pain. So as he worked with the generator, he continued to speak. He talked to her about his childhood, his choice to join the Academy, even his painful decision to join the Maquis. Kathryn was in and out of consciousness, probably only hearing bits and pieces of each story. But he continued to speak anyway, as if talking alone could save her.

More than an hour, a few tremors, and several stories later, he wiped the sweat from his brow and looked down at the ultrasonic generator. The pulses were now at maximum output. It was the most the little machine could offer. And it didn't take a tricorder to determine that it was having little or no affect on the crystal.

Janeway must've read the defeat in his expression, because she began to cry softly. "It isn't … going … to work, … is it?"

Chakotay immediately went to her side, a solemn look on his worn face. "No, it's not." With trembling hands, he brushed her hair out of her eyes.

Her blue lips quivered. "I don't suppose …you have … any other suggestions."

Chakotay had to fight back his own tears as he watched Kathryn's roll down her ashen cheeks. "No. I'm sorry."

"Neither … do I."

Anguish and rage swelled up within Chakotay and for a moment he thought maybe his anger alone would give him the strength to tear the crystal from her body with his bare hands. "This isn't right," he raged, tearing at the stone until his fingers began to bleed. "I can't stand here and let this happen."

"Cha … kotay," she rasped, "You have … to go."

He froze in place, his hands still pressed against the hated crystal. "What?"

"Go."

Unable to wrap his mind around even the idea of walking away from her, he stared at her with incredulity. "I won't leave you here to face this alone, Kathryn."

She made a weak attempt to shake her head. "I don't want … you … to watch … me die. Not … like this.

"I'm not leaving you!" he insisted.

She began to sob, struggling to get enough air for what she felt she needed to say. "As … your friend … I'm asking you … to leave. Leave me alone … _please_."

He cupped her face in his large palms, needing to connect with her somehow. "I won't. I can't!"

"Then … as your captain … I'm ordering you." Her breath rattled in her throat. "Go."

He wiped the tears from her face. "No."

The ground shook again beneath them. "If you stay," she rasped, "you'll … die too."

"Then I die - right here with you."

"No!" she cried.

Chakotay's vision blurred with unshed tears and a lump the size of a baseball rose in his throat. "Please don't ask me to do that, Kathryn. I can't. Do you hear me? I CAN'T!"

"Why?" As weak and strained as her voice was it had a frantic intonation. "WHY?"

The tears finally broke free and rolled silently down his soot stained cheeks. "Because I'm in love with you." He stroked her face tenderly. "I love you, Kathryn." Then, like a deflated balloon, Chakotay sunk to the ground and propped himself up against a large rock, half hoping it would swallow him up, too.

He dropped his head and ran his hands through his hair. "Now you know. Now you know the truth. So don't ask me to turn my back and walk away from you, leave you here to face death alone. I can't."

"I'm … in love … with you, too," she whispered.

Chakotay's head snapped up and he stared at her in disbelief. He climbed to his feet. "What did you say?"

"I said … I love you … too, Chakotay."

As many times as he'd fantasized and dreamed about this moment, a part of him had always known that it would never happen. Even if she felt the way he did she would never allow herself to say it aloud. It didn't ring true, no matter how badly he wanted to believe it.

Shocked and confused, he walked slowly backward, moving away from her. Something wasn't right here. He needed to put some distance between them, clear his head. He stopped when he felt the cave wall at his shoulder, and realized he was standing in the very spot where Kathryn claimed the ever-elusive human had been standing when he fired on her.

From this position he could clearly see that the trajectory was all wrong and, on a hunch, drew his phaser. Casually he pointed it at Janeway. "Is this where the human was standing when he shot at you?"

Confused, her brow furrowed. "What?"

"The escape pod pilot," he demanded, "is this where he was standing?"

"Yes."

"How tall was he? About my height?"

Janeway pursed her lips together and struggled to slow her breathing. "I guess so … maybe … a little … shorter."

Chakotay bent his knees and hunched down slightly. "Like this?"

"I … guess. Why?"

His tears long forgotten, Chakotay charged toward her, the phaser still in his hand. "Because I just realized something. There's no way he could've fired from that position and hit that spot on the cave wall without also hitting you. It's impossible."

She began to sob again. "Chakotay, I …"

"You're lying to me, Kathryn. Why?"

"You're … just upset … confused."

"No," he shook his head. "Just the opposite. It's all starting to make sense now. This isn't real, is it? None of this is real."

"What?!"

"The strange interference, the human suddenly appearing just long enough to draw us here! Odd that I haven't seen a single sign of him since, don't you think?" He wiped a tear from her face with his finger. "And this. Most people would cry in a situation like this, but not you. Not you, Captain. I've rarely seen you cry, and on the few occasions I have, it's always been tears shed for someone else. Never yourself."

"Chakotay …"

He raised his phaser, aiming it right between her eyes. "Who are you?"

"You've lost your mind!" she shouted.

"Have I? Five minutes ago you couldn't take a deep enough breath to finish a sentence and now you're yelling?" He moved the phaser closer until it was almost touching her head. "Who are you? And where's Captain Janeway?" When she hesitated he became enraged. "Tell me, or I WILL kill you!"

Suddenly, Janeway's face began to melt into the crystal. Stunned, Chakotay staggered back but kept his phaser trained firmly on the morphing form. Her body seemed to melt away followed by the large stone that had encased her. It became a pool of thick, shimmering liquid swirling at Chakotay's feet. And then it began to congeal, glistening and sparkling as it took shape. In seconds it had formed itself into a featureless humanoid.

"I am Vala," said a disembodied voice, as the gelatinous humanoid had no visible mouth. It was a lyrical voice, distinctly female. "You won't need your weapon. I don't want to harm you."

Chakotay was surprised at how calm his voice sounded after what he'd just witnessed. "Then what do you want?"

"I want to learn. I saw you traveling with the female. Your people exist in pairs?"

"Sometimes," he answered cautiously. "Yours don't?"

"No," said Vala. "We lead a solitary existence, always alone. The days do not pass quickly. When I saw you, you were laughing. This female … Janeway…she makes you happy, does she not?"

Chakotay couldn't help but smile at that. Instinctively, he lowered the phaser to his side. "Much of the time, yes. Where is she? I need to know that she's safe."

Vala nodded. "She means much to you, I see."

"Yes," he said. "She's my friend."

"She is unharmed. She's merely … sleeping." She pointed to the narrow tunnel. "Down that corridor. I meant no harm, Chakotay. I only wanted to observe, to study this behavior, this friendship."

"But … how?" This whole thing was more than a little difficult for Chakotay to grasp. "You had to have known a lot about us to create this elaborate deception."

"I was waiting here, hoping you would separate. When your friend came into this room I saw her thoughts, learned some of her memories."

Chakotay was impressed despite himself. "You're telepathic."

"Yes."

"You took Captain Janeway's form. And the escape pod with the human life sign, that was you, too?"

"That's correct."

"Fortunately for me, you made a few mistakes," he said.

"I cannot learn all there is to know about her in such a short time. I had to … improvise. What error did I make that led you to doubt Janeway's identity?"

"There were several things that made me suspicious. But it was the confession of love that made me certain." His eyes darkened with sorrow. "You see, I've known Kathryn Janeway for more than three years now. And in those three years I've watched her. I'm always watching her. I know her probably better than she knows herself. I know she likes a sonic shower in the morning and a hot water bath before she goes to bed. I know she secretly loves chocolate but hates Neelix's angla bosch. I know she gets a rush every time we encounter a new phenomenon and she cries privately for days when we lose a member of our crew. And while I know she cares deeply for me, probably much more than she wants to, I know she would never say it aloud."

"But she does love you, Chakotay. Her thoughts told me so. What makes you think she wouldn't say it if she were dying, to comfort you in the days to come?"

"Because even though you and I know how she feels, Kathryn doesn't realize it. She's either afraid or unwilling to face her feelings. It's easier for her to be my captain if she doesn't allow herself to fall in love with me." He ran his hands through his short hair, frustrated knowing he probably wasn't making any sense and wondering why the hell he was explaining all this to some stranger who had tricked them in the first place anyway. "It's difficult to explain but sometimes people have a hard time owning up to their feelings."

"I do not understand," said Vala.

"Love is almost never simple. Kathryn has convinced herself that she's not in love with me and, on some level at least, she really believes it. Sometimes I even believe it. She doesn't believe she feels that way about me and she values our friendship too much to ever lie to me. There may come a day when she faces her feelings and can say those words aloud. But not yet."

"Such conflicting ideas and feelings! Now you see why I found the pair of you so intriguing, why I was unable to resist."

"Forgive me, Vala, but you have the power to manipulate matter and change form, to manipulate space and planetary conditions, and on top of all that you're a telepath," he said evenly. "What could you possibly hope to gain from us? We have none of those abilities."

She made a sound that Chakotay thought was a chuckle - at least he hoped it was a chuckle. It was hard to tell with no facial features. "It's more simple than you think, Commander. For all my wondrous powers, I cannot really love another. I am the last of my people. Alone in the universe. And while I am fascinated with the bond you call friendship, I am incapable of actually having one myself. I would trade all of my abilities to be able to know friendship, to know love."

Chakotay felt great compassion for this being, facing a life of solitude. "But why this scenario? You may not be able to understand but an experience like that one can be very painful for a human. Other beings may not be so understanding if you cause them pain like you've caused me today."

Vala's shimmering head dropped slightly in shame, a remarkably human gesture. "For that I am sorry. When I looked inside your friend's mind I found such wondrous memories and dreams. She has had many experiences, many friendships. I wanted to keep her here, convince her to share them with me. To make my last days colorful, do you understand?"

Chakotay nodded once. "I think I do. You knew I wouldn't leave here unless I believed she was dead."

"Yes," she said. "And I thought I could learn more about friendship by observing your reaction. Never having a companion, I cannot fully understand how painful it must be to lose one. I am sorry for causing you pain, Chakotay. I only wanted to understand."

"I believe you," Chakotay said with sincerity. "I must go to her now, Vala. We need to return to our ship, to our people."

"I know," she replied softly. "You are free to go. You always have been."

Chakotay smiled kindly at her and then turned to go. He stopped just before slipping into the narrow tunnel, and turned to look at her. "There's another option. You don't have to stay here alone."

"What do you mean?"

"You can come with us," he said. "Spend your remaining time on our ship surrounded by the crew. We have many different species living harmoniously. You'd be welcome there. In fact, you'd have more friends than you'd know what to do with."

Vala was silent for a moment. When she finally spoke her voice echoed with sadness. "I cannot. My actions today are proof of that."

"But you didn't understand," he argued.

"Correct. And in my own desire to gain knowledge and understanding I caused you pain. Terrible pain. I won't risk doing the same to another. Just as you cannot fully help me understand the emotion you call love, I cannot make you understand the nature of my solitary existence. Trust me when I tell you that I must remain here, and you must go to your friend's side. That is where you belong, Chakotay."

Before he had a chance to object, Vala's form morphed again. This time into a breathtakingly beautiful winged creature. In the fraction of a second she was gone and, despite all the agony she'd put him through, Chakotay knew that a small piece of him left with her.

/\ /\ /\ /\

Chakotay didn't stop running until he had Kathryn's sleeping form in his sight. She was lying on her back, one arm at her side and the other bent at the elbow, her hand resting beside her face. She looked peaceful, like she was dreaming of something that brought her great comfort. And he found himself thinking, as he had many times before, that she was the most beautiful and captivating woman he had ever seen. He bent down beside her, Vala's words echoing inside his head.

_But she does_ _love you. I saw it in her thoughts._

"Maybe one day you'll realize it," he whispered, stroking the hair from her face. But even if she didn't, at least he had her friendship, her presence in his life. He was reminded today just how very precious that was. It was almost like being reborn himself, like he'd been given a second chance at life because she wasn't really dying. Awash with grateful relief and unable to resist, Chakotay pressed a tender kiss to her flushed cheek.

"Kathryn," he said, shaking her gently. "Wake up sleepy head. It's time to go."

Her eyelids fluttered, too heavy with sleep to open all the way. "Chakotay …"

"It's me," he said, scooping her into his arms and holding her protectively against his chest. "I'm taking you home."

/\ /\ /\ /\

Captain Janeway gave Chakotay's shoulder a friendly squeeze as they left sickbay and headed down the corridor. "You carried me all the way to the shuttle with torn ligaments in your shoulder?"

He nodded.

She raised a flirtatious eyebrow. "That's rather heroic, Commander. And they say chivalry is dead."

Chakotay laughed softly. "Not when the damsel in distress is sound asleep."

She chucked, amused. "Seriously though, you handled this incident very well. I plan on putting a commendation in your file." She bit on her lower lip as if she were thinking. "There must be some kind of metal of bravery for rescuing your sleeping captain."

He flashed her a dimpled smile. "Especially the way you wake up. I could've been injured."

She laughed and punched him playfully on the arm. "There's still one thing I don't understand though."

"What's that?"

"This Vala person, how did you know she wasn't me?"

He glanced down at her as they stepped into the turbo lift. "She made a mistake," he said evenly. "She said something I know you would never have said."

"Oh?" Janeway said, stepping in beside him. "What was that?"

He gazed down at her, trying to push his personal feelings to the back of his mind. "It was nothing important," he said, and then the turbo lift door closed.

/\ /\ /\ /\


	2. Part Two

_**Heart of Stone**_

_Part Two_

Janeway leaned back in her chair on the bridge, happy to be back on her ship. Even though she'd apparently slept through the whole ordeal on the alien moon, she found herself looking at her surroundings with renewed interest. Her ship, her crew, she was grateful for all of them.

While she'd come away from the whole affair feeling enlivened somehow, it seemed to have had the opposite effect on Chakotay. In the two days since their return she'd noticed he was quieter than usual, even withdrawn. She believed he was hiding something. And the few times she'd tried to get him to talk about it, to tell her in more detail what had occurred, he'd shut her right down. Whatever he'd endured, it had obviously shaken him to the core. Her instincts told her she wasn't getting the whole story, not by a long shot.

Unsure how to help him, she'd given him three days off to recuperate and he'd spent almost the entire time alone in his quarters. She assumed he was meditating or consulting his spirit guide. She wanted to go to him, to comfort him as a best friend should. And yet she was reluctant, wondering if he preferred solitude and would see her visit as an intrusion.

She was tired of her own indecision. It was unlike her and she found it intolerable. Suddenly the answer came to her. She knew what she'd do. She'd send him a message. That'd be perfect. She could tell him she was concerned, that she was here if he needed her but would respect his privacy if he preferred to be alone. Then the ball would be in his court.

Energized at having finally made a decision, she rose to her feet and glanced at her bridge crew. She'd sent Tuvok to the mess hall to deal with a disagreement between two engineering crewman that had gotten out of hand. With Chakotay out, the left Tom in command.

"You have the bridge, Mr. Paris," she said with a brisk nod of her head. "I'll be in my ready room."

"Aye, Captain."

The ready room doors were barely closed before she was at the replicator ordering a cup of black coffee. Once she had the steaming mug snugly between her palms she took a seat at her desk and prepared to write the message for Chakotay.

Forty-five minutes and three cups of coffee later, she was pacing in front of the sofa, reaching an arm back to rub her aching neck. Writing a message had seemed like such a simple task, especially for a Starfleet captain who communicated with countless people on a daily basis. But for some reason she just couldn't find the words. It was honestly the most ridiculous thing she'd ever heard of but here it was - happening nonetheless.

She knew it was childish. She was acting like some prepubescent school girl writing her first letter to a boy she had a crush on. But what does one say in such an instance? For that matter, who but Kathryn Janeway would find herself in such an instance in the first place? How could she thank him, the man who'd stood by her, tried to ease her suffering 

and was even prepared to stay with her while she died? Except it wasn't her, but the alien had read her mind, so in a way it _was_ her. But it wasn't. The whole thing made her head throb.

God, if she was this confused she could only imagine how Chakotay must feel.

Part of her hesitation came from the fact that they hadn't experience the same things. She'd been asleep, dreaming something … something she couldn't quite recapture. But she was certain it was pleasant, whatever it was. Chakotay, on the other hand, had gone through Hell. To stand by, helpless, and watch your friend suffer … to prepare to watch her die, Janeway couldn't even imagine the agony. Part of her felt guilty for being off in dreamland while it happened.

She had an almost overwhelming urge to go to him, to wrap him in her arms and tell him everything was okay. Over and over again he'd been there to comfort her; offering advice, a kind word, a warm embrace - whatever she needed. Truth be told, she couldn't imagine her life without him.

"Oh, Chakotay. If only you'd tell me the whole story," she muttered to herself. "How can I help you if you won't talk about it? How can I understand what you're going through?"

Suddenly Janeway's mind was hit with a barrage of images and thoughts so powerful that she staggered with the impact of it. So many sensations slamming into her brain all at once that she nearly lost consciousness. They hit without warning and she was completely unprepared for the onslaught of emotions the images wrought.

She saw herself covered to the waist in the crystal. Then another image, her face ashen and her lips blue, only her head and neck showing above the stone. They were images, disorderly and fragmented, of herself as seen through someone else's eyes. _Chakotay's eyes_, she realized amid the chaos. But it wasn't only his visual memories she was experiencing. She was also being bombarded with the intense emotions that went along with them. There were too many to process; fear, apprehension, anger, helplessness, love, and pain - tremendous pain.

A scream tore from her throat as she dropped to her knees, unable to withstand the cyclone pouring into her mind. She clapped her hands over her ears, as if she could silence the sounds inside her head. All of Chakotay's memories and feelings from that horrible day had suddenly entered her mind, giving her the knowledge she was seeking but the load was so overwhelming and massive that she feared she'd lose consciousness.

The ready room doors swished open and Tom Paris burst into the room like he was shot from a cannon, a phaser in his hand. "Captain?"

When he saw her rocking back and forth on the floor, her hands squeezing the sides of her head, he dropped the phaser and ran to her side. "Captain, what's going on?" He locked his hands around her small wrists and pried them away from her face, desperately trying to make eye contact with her. "Captain! What is it? Can you hear me?"

"Too many images," she cried. "It's too much!"

Two members of Tuvok's security team came barreling through the door, phasers drawn. But Paris held up a hand to stop them, knowing his captain wouldn't want anyone to see her in this condition. "Get the Doctor," he ordered.

"No!" she screamed. "No doctor! Just make them leave, Tom."

Hesitant to leave their captain in this condition, the security officers deferred to the next ranking officer in the room. "Lieutenant Paris?"

Paris nodded reluctantly. "I'll handle this. You're dismissed." The ready room door hissed closed behind them.

Inside her mind Janeway saw herself pleading with Chakotay to leave her, to let her die alone. As she heard her own voice telling him to go, she felt his crushing pain and desperation in her chest and a tormented sob wracked through her. "God, Chakotay, I'm so sorry…"

A calm voice sounded in her mind, momentarily cutting through the pandemonium. "_Relax."_

"I can't!"

"Can't what, Captain?" asked Paris.

"_Yes, you can, Janeway. Relax,"_ said the soft, feminine voice. It was strangely familiar, yet she knew she'd never heard it before. It was comforting, soothing amid the chaos. That was because it had comforted Chakotay, she suddenly realized. She could see it in his memories. Instantly, she knew who the voice belonged to and she stopped screaming.

"Vala?" she asked, her voice cracking and strained.

"_Yes. I'm showing you his memories. I'm trying to help you understand."_

"Who's Vala?" asked Paris, confusion deepening the creases between his blonde eyebrows. "Captain, I think we should get you to sickbay."

"No," she ordered. She tried to slow her breathing, the images still flashing turbulently in her mind. "I just need quiet!"

_"Free your mind. Stop trying to control the memories. Just let them come, and then you will find the answers you seek. Stop fighting it, Captain Janeway. Learn, as I did. Understand …_"

"But it's too much!" she cried. "I can't. I can't order all these thoughts! Not by myself."

_"Then let your friend help you."_

"How?" she screamed, unable to tolerate the pain inside her skull.

_"You only have to reach out to him. Just touch him."_

Still trembling and hyperventilating, drowning in the mass of images in her mind, Janeway turned her wild gaze on Paris. "Tom," she panted, "will you help me?"

"You know I will, Captain," he said without hesitation. "But you have to tell me what's going on."

Swallowing back her tears, she shook her head and said, "I can't tell you. I have to show you."

Unsure how she planned to do that, Paris just shrugged. "Then show me."

Slowly, deliberately, and with a great deal of trepidation, Janeway reached out for Tom's hand.

He responded in kind, and allowed her to take his hand between her two smaller ones. He was prepared to offer her whatever comfort he could. What he wasn't prepared for was the photon torpedo of images and memories that exploded inside his mind.

His body tightened and his jaw clenched. His first instinct was the same as Janeway's had been, to fight the mental assault. But he could feel his captain beside him, hear her asking him to help her, telling him to relax. It took only seconds for Paris to realize what he was seeing, whose feelings he was experiencing. And the instant he did, he understood why it had rattled Janeway to her core and why she needed help from a friend to endure it.

He knew there were precious few people she could trust to reveal such vulnerabilities to and, despite the headache it was giving him, realized he was happy to be one of that small number.

The memories drifted between them, the emotional intensity ebbing and flowing as together they saw the events that had caused Chakotay's current state of withdrawal. It had been agonizing for him, watching the woman he cared for so deeply suffer. They felt all of it, his unswerving love for his captain, his crushing pain at not being able to protect her, the desperation that had prompted his heartfelt confession of love. They felt the gut-wrenching, conflicted emotions that tore through him as a part of him wanted more than anything to believe her when she said she loved him in return, and then again as he realized it hadn't actually been her all along.

Hand in hand on the ready room floor, Tom Paris and Kathryn Janeway lived every torturous moment that Chakotay endured on that alien moon. And in the process, they learned more about love, sacrifice, and the extraordinary depth of one man's soul than they'd ever imagined possible.

/\ /\ /\ /\

Afraid to lose physical contact with her after what they'd just shared, Paris held tightly to Janeway's hand as they sat side by side on her ready room sofa. "Are you all right, Captain?"

Her voice, hoarse from her earlier screaming, cracked as she spoke. "I'm fine. But I owe you an apology, Tom."

His eyebrows rose. "For what?"

"For bringing you into this without a fair warning," she said. "I was so desperate to quiet all those raging memories that I didn't even stop to think about what a violation it might be for you. I'm sorry."

"Hey," he said, giving her hand a little squeeze, "I meant it when I said I'd help you, Captain. I'd sit though that a million times over if it meant I could help you half as much as you've helped me. Besides," he grinned impishly, "the only other senior officer out there was Harry, and he'd have had nightmares for the rest of his life."

They both laughed softly, the joke lightening the mood a little. "To be honest," she said, "I'm very glad it was you, Tom. I feel close to all of you, consider you all family. But you are I share a common background."

He laughed at that. "You've been in a penal colony, too?"

"I'm referring to our admiral fathers," she said with a reluctant grin. "You know better than most about the restraints of command."

"You can say that again!"

"And because of that, I know that you'll understand when I say that everything that occurred here today is strictly between you and me. No one needs to know about this."

"My lips are sealed, Captain. But you're wrong when you say it's just between you and me. I think you're forgetting someone rather important here."

She released his hand and rose to her feet, pacing before the view ports as she always did when she was unsettled about something. "I'm not forgetting about Chakotay, Tom. Far from it. I just don't know what to do quite yet."

"You don't know what to do?" he asked incredulously. "With all due respect, Captain, it seems pretty simple to me. If you have any feelings for him, and I think you do, you have to tell him."

"It's not that easy."

"No one said it would be easy," Paris said, also climbing to his feet. "But you saw it, we both did. We experienced his feelings, and they were strong. I've got more experience with women than I want to admit sometimes, and I'm telling you, Captain, I have NEVER loved anyone the way he loves you. Hell, I'm even a little jealous."

Janeway turned to face him. "He suffered terribly. How could you possibly be jealous?"

"Because he knows what he wants," he answered immediately. "In this universe of uncertainty and craziness, where most people aren't even content enough to like themselves let alone anyone else, Chakotay has something solid and permanent inside him. _He loves you, Captain._ And he knows it beyond a single doubt." He watched as her eyes flooded with tears. "I don't know many people who can say that about someone. I know I can't." He locked eyes with her. "But I think you can."

"What are you saying?" she asked in a carefully even voice.

"I'm saying I think you love him and for some reason you're terrified to admit it."

She regarded him sternly. "Mr. Paris, I-"

But he was having none of it. "No," he interrupted. "No way. You're not pulling rank on me, not now."

She arched an eyebrow. "I beg your pardon."

"You brought me into this," he fired back. "I lived through that right along side you, Captain, and if you asked me to, I'd do it again. I care about you. I'm trying to be your friend and I think you owe it to me to at least hear my opinion."

She eyed him silently for a moment and then a small smile tugged at her lips. "You'd have made one hell of a lawyer, Tom. And you're right; you were here for me when I needed you. The very least I can do is hear you out."

A little surprised by her abrupt about face, Tom softened his tone immediately. "Look, I know it's no secret that Chakotay and I have had our differences."

"As I recall, you were once contemplating killing each other."

He smiled at the memory. "That's true. But a lot's changed since then. And after seeing things literally through his eyes today I have to admit that I've developed a new respect for him. I don't think I'll ever be able to forget the way he felt when he thought he was going to lose you. Or the way his heart pounded in his chest when he heard your voice saying, 'I love you, too'."

He took her hand gently in his, his blue eyes pleading with hers. "He loves you, Captain, with an intensity I've never known before. He's willing to take whatever you can give him and he waits quietly by your side. That's a rare thing, especially out here so far from home. If you let it go by without at least acknowledging it, you're cheating yourself out of something incredible.

"I don't know why you're so afraid of it. But if it's because of us, because of this ship and crew, then you should know that all we want is for you to be happy, Captain. We're a long way from home and the future's uncertain at best. You've got a shot at happiness with Chakotay. And you're a fool if you don't take it."

Before she could offer a response, they were interrupted by Harry Kim's disembodied voice coming through Tom's combadge. "_Kim to Paris._"

"Go ahead."

"_Shift's over, buddy. Where are you? Buster Kincaid needs a partner."_

He flashed Janeway a questioning glance.

"Go," she said softly, a small smile on her face. "I'll be fine."

"I'll be right there, Harry."

He gave her hand an affection squeeze before stepping toward the door. "Go to him, Captain. Whatever you fears are, I think you know you need him as much as he needs you. You just have to admit it."

She watched him go in silence, not trusting her voice enough to speak. She knew he was right. She'd felt Chakotay's love for her and was still reeling from the sheer intensity of it. Her own love for him was equally strong, she could see that now. And the knowledge that he believed she'd never say it caused her heart to break in her chest.

He'd been prepared to die rather than leave her alone to face her fate. She loved him even more for it. And while she didn't know what, if anything, would become of their feelings, she knew that at the very least, Chakotay deserved to know how she felt. She owed him that much.

/\ /\ /\ /\

Chakotay sat on the floor in his quarters, his hands shaking as he tried once again to meditate. He hadn't had this much trouble quieting his mind since Seska had appeared on the view screen, her Cardassian features disturbingly visible, and told him he had a son. Of course, that had all been an elaborate deception. So had everything that took place on the alien moon. And while he knew Vala hadn't meant to cause him pain, the outcome was the same regardless.

Frustrated and exhausted, he wrapped up his medicine bundle and placed it gently on the table. He'd try again later. Right now he needed to do something physical, something exerting. It'd been a long time since he'd played Velocity on the holodeck.

Changing into a pair of shorts and a tank top, he thought about what kind of opponent he'd program to play against him. Someone aggressive, someone he could take out his frustrations on. Maybe a Naussican, they liked a good fight. In fact, maybe he'd forget Velocity all together and just program a good bar brawl. Maybe pounding the hell out of something would relieve some of his tension.

Determined and eager to begin, Chakotay charged out the door. His eyes were fixed on the supports he was fastening on his wrists and, consequently, he didn't see Janeway standing just outside his door. He nearly knocked her to the deck.

She made an undignified "Ummmph" sound as Chakotay's large body slammed into her. He grabbed her by the arms and steadied her before she toppled over completely.

"Captain?" he said, surprised. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine." Janeway said with mild chagrin. She collected herself as best should could and tried to appear unruffled. "Where's the fire?"

Chakotay looked confused. "Fire?"

"Where are you headed in such a hurry?"

"I was just going to the holodeck," he said. Realizing he was still holding her by the arms, he offered a small smiled and reluctantly let go. "I didn't see you standing there."

"Obviously," she said, a wry grin tugging at her lips.

"I'm sorry. You sure you're okay?"

She waved a hand dismissively. "Forget about it. I'm fine."

They stared at each other for a few silent moments, an uneasiness permeating the air between them. That's when Chakotay noticed her red-rimmed eyes and haunted expression. _She's been crying, _he realized.

Kathryn stared up at him. She'd come to his quarters with the intention of telling him exactly how much he meant to her, how much she loved him. But now, face to face with him, she felt her resolve and her courage slipping silently away._ I have to get out of here, _Janeway thought. _I can't do this._

"Well," she said awkwardly, turning to leave, "have a good time on the holodeck, Commander."

Before she had the chance to escape, Chakotay grabbed her by the elbow. "Wait."

She glanced back at him with what she hoped was a neutral expression.

"Come inside. I think we need to talk." Seeing the look of indecision on her face, he added, "We can't avoid this forever, Kathryn."

Knowing he was right, she nodded her consent and sighed softly in resignation as he led her into his quarters. How this one man could stimulate such conflicting and uncharacteristic emotions in her, she'd never understand.

Once they were seated on the sofa, Janeway said, "Before you nearly fractured my ribs in the corridor, I knew exactly what I wanted to say to you. But now that I'm here I'm not sure how to begin." She grinned sardonically. "An odd situation for me, I usually have more than enough words sitting on my tongue for any occasion."

Chakotay laughed softly. "Can't argue with that." He resisted the urge make small talk, knowing this was awkward for both of them. The best thing to do was get to the point. "Why don't you begin by telling me what's on your mind. Why have you been crying, Kathryn?"

She was a bit startled that he could see it so easily. "That obvious, hmm?"

"Maybe not to everyone else," he said with a shrug. "But I know you."

"Yes," she said softly, "you certainly do. It seems you know me better than I know myself, in fact."

His brow furrowed. "What do you mean?"

She fixed her blue eyes on him intently. "I know what happened on the away mission, Chakotay. I know all of it, every detail."

He regarded her skeptically. _Every _detail? "How?" he asked, thought part of him already knew what her answer would be.

"Vala," she said. "I was in my ready room. I wanted to send you a message but I couldn't decide what to say. I mumbled something to myself about wishing I could understand what you were going through, and suddenly it all hit me. Literally. All these images and emotions rolling around in my mind." Her eyes glistened as the tears once again began to build up behind her eyelids. She blinked hard to keep them back and put a hand on his shoulder. "I saw your memories. I know how painful it was for you. I know that you stayed right by my side and were willing to die rather than leave me. And … I also know why."

Mortified, he pulled away from her touch and rose to his feet. He walked over to the view port, his back to her as he tried to wrap his mind around the very idea of it. She'd seen his warbling confession of love? And now she was probably here to let him down easy, remind him of all the reasons why he shouldn't feel that way and why she could never allow herself to return those feelings. How could he face her knowing that?

Janeway knew he'd find it difficult to accept that she'd been inside his mind and she found herself wondering how much harder he'd take it if he knew Paris had seen it, too. She was grateful for Tom's loyalty to her and knew it would keep him from ever breathing a word of what he'd seen to anyone. Maybe one day she'd be able to tell Chakotay, but now was definitely not the time.

She rose and stood behind him. She was close enough to touch him but kept her arms at her sides. "I know how unsettling this must be for someone as private as you are, Chakotay."

He snorted sarcastically. "Unsettling? That doesn't begin to describe it." Keeping his back to her, he said softly, "If you're here to remind me that my feelings are inappropriate, you don't need to bother. I never meant to impose my emotions on you, Kathryn. I only said it in that cave because I thought we were both going to die there. I wanted you to know before you died and I wanted you to understand why I could never leave you to suffer alone."

She touched his arm gently. "I know," she said. "I felt your emotions when you thought I was near death. I'm still reeling from it."

He didn't respond to her touch, but he didn't pull away either. "I had no intention of telling you about that. You made it perfectly clear when we left New Earth that any relationship between us beyond friendship was impossible. My feelings are my own problem, and I'll deal with them in my own way. You don't need to worry about it."

"No," she said, stepping in front of him and forcing him to meet her gaze. "You're feelings aren't your own, Chakotay. I didn't just see your memories, I _lived_ them. I felt your pain, your desperation to save me. And I felt your love for me, too. It was stronger and more 

intense than anything I could've ever imagined." A single tear broke free and slid slowly down her face as she brought a trembling hand up to gently stroke his cheek. "Don't push it away now that I've seen it. I'm overwhelmed by it. I never dreamed anyone could love me so deeply, so completely."

He sighed hard and leaned into her palm, his own hand coming up to cover hers. "Spirits help me, Kathryn, but I do. I love you as I've never loved anyone else."

Her voice wavered emotionally. "I love you, too, Chakotay. I tried for a long time to deny it, but I do love you."

He released her hand and closed his eyes tightly, as if he were in great physical pain. "Don't," he whispered. "Don't say that because you pity me, or out of some sense of obligation because you saw my thoughts. The last time I heard your voice say those words, it wasn't even really you."

"Well, it's me now," she said firmly. "And I don't say it out of pity or obligation."

"Then why?" he demanded, afraid to allow himself to believe it. "Why now?"

"Because I saw myself through your eyes," she said, taking his hands in hers. "You knew that woman in the crystal wasn't me because she admitted that she loved you. You believed without a doubt that I would never say that, that I'm too blinded by protocol and duty to see my own feelings, let alone admit them. And no matter how badly you wanted those words to be true, you knew that I would've let you turn and walk away, leaving me alone to die before I would've ever uttered those words aloud. And the worst part is, you were absolutely right. Do you have any idea how that makes me feel?"

"I'm sorry," he whispered. "I'm sorry you had to experience all of that."

"Don't be. I needed it," she said, still holding tightly to his hands. "I needed to see myself from your perspective before I could realize how stupid I was being, how cold I was becoming. My God, Chakotay, I would've lost you. I would've thrown it all away. Can you ever forgive me?" She began to sob.

Stunned, he barely managed to stammer, "Don't cry, Kathryn –"

The tears ran freely down her pretty face. It was as if the flood gates had opened and once it started pouring out she was powerless to stop the rest from flowing out behind it. "When the images of your memories subsided the first thing I wanted to do was throw myself into your arms and tell you how sorry I am. How sorry I am for hurting you, for denying even to myself how much you've come to mean to me. I wanted to lay my head against your chest and listen to your heartbeat, to feel your arms around me and tell you that, protocol be damned, I want nothing more than to be with you. I wanted you to hold me and tell me everything's going to be okay."

Shocked and wracked with emotion, it took Chakotay a moment to summon the power of speech. Finally, he opened his arms wide, tears brimming his eyes, and said, "It's not too late for any of that. I feel like I've waited my whole life just to hold you."

In the fraction of a second it took for her to fall into his embrace, all of Chakotay's hopes for a future with Kathryn were born anew. And when he wrapped his strong arms around her and buried his face in her hair the rest of the universe ceased to exist. There was only her, the way her diminutive body felt against him, the feeling of her arms encircling his neck, and the intoxicating scent of her hair. Chakotay had never known such peace in all his life. "It's okay," he whispered. "Everything's going to be okay."

Kathryn sobbed silently as she buried her face in his broad chest. She knew just how deeply he loved her, cherished her, and the feel of his body wrapped around hers was so consuming that she wasn't sure how she'd ever let go. "I love you, Chakotay."

She felt his sharp intake of air at her statement, and his voice crackled with emotion when he replied. "I love you, too, Kathryn."

/\ /\ /\ /\

Hours later, the remnants of their dinner scattered across the small table, Chakotay still felt like it was all just a dream. It was so hard to believe that Kathryn was there with him in his quarters, her head resting in his lap as he brushed the reddish locks of hair from her face. He knew she was exhausted, emotionally as well as physically. He was, too. But she looked so beautiful sprawled across the couch that he wondered if he'd ever be able to sleep again. Kathryn, on the other hand, seemed about to drift off.

"Are you falling asleep on me?" he asked, stroking her jaw with his thumb.

"No," she said in a voice that was decidedly groggy. "Just laying here wondering why in the hell I waited so long to be with you like this. I don't remember the last time I felt this tranquil."

He smiled brightly. "Good. If I have my way, you'll feel that way every day."

"Careful," she teased. "I may just hold you to that."

"I'm counting on it," he said. He leaned down and planted a gentle kiss on her cheek. As she grew quiet again Chakotay allowed his thoughts to drift. They'd spent the last few hours just being together, sharing a meal and holding each other close. They hadn't discussed where they planned to go with this new found relationship and Chakotay found himself wondering what Kathryn's intentions were now that she'd faced her feelings.

He was so lost in his own thoughts that he didn't notice her staring up at him. "Just ask me," she said.

Startled, he glanced down at her. "Ask you what?"

"Whatever it is you're thinking about asking me," she drawled lazily.

He smiled. "What makes you think I want to ask you something?"

She stifled a contented yawn. "The way you're tugging on your ear."

He stopped immediately, realizing that he hadn't even been aware he was doing it.

"You do that when you're trying to decide whether or not to ask me something."

He laughed softly. "And how do you know that?"

"Because I saw your thoughts, remember?" she said matter-of-factly. "In essence, I _was_ you for a short time and I know that when you're debating on whether or not to ask me about something, you tug on your ear."

He flashed her a dimpled grin. "You have me at a distinct disadvantage."

"Just the way I like it," she grinned. "Now out with it."

He shrugged slightly. "I'm just wondering what happens now."

She sat up, resting her back against the sofa. "You want to know where we go from here."

He nodded. "I think it's a fair question. And since I haven't seen your thoughts, you'll have to verbalize it for me."

She laughed and captured his hand between hers. "All I know is that I want to be with you, Chakotay. There's got to be a way that we can command this ship and be in love at the same time. I'm sure it won't be easy but we'll just have to take it one day at a time and deal with it as it comes along."

His eyes narrowed as he stared at her. "Oh no!" he teased playfully. "She's been abducted and replaced by an alien again. The Captain Janeway I knew believed the crew would mutiny and the entire galaxy would collapse on itself if she had a relationship with her first officer."

She laughed and folded her arms in mock indignation. "That could still happen," she teased. "The night is young and our relationship hasn't even begun yet."

She turned to face him as she climbed onto his lap, her knees on either side of his thighs. She traced the neck of his tank top with her fingernail and kissed him hungrily on the mouth. When he wrapped his arms around her waist and started to respond in kind, she pulled away.

She raised a provocative eyebrow and, in a throaty voice that made Chakotay's heart pound in his ears, said, "There's only one way to find out if the galaxy can survive it."

Chakotay's hands slid down to her hips and he pulled her even closer. "And the crew?" he whispered as he brought his lips to her neck.

Kathryn reached back and pulled the barrette from her hair, shaking the long strands until they fell loosely around her shoulders. "They're not invited."

/\ /\ /\ /\


End file.
